Someone Like Me
by Mahanny
Summary: Steroline. Set after 6x10.


STEROLINE.

"Let me get you more pillows."  
"I'm fine, Caroline."

Liz had been discharged a few days ago while doctors analyzed every test. Caroline would take care of her at home now. The blonde did not know how to feel. She had wanted go home for months, but she would never have expected that it would be like that.

"Hey. I've found these board games. The hours will be enjoyable" Stefan said, showing a couple of board games. Caroline looked at him grateful, and Liz smiled.  
"That's a gesture, Stefan" Liz said.

The truth is that Stefan had spent the days with them since the day at hospital. Caroline did not how to thank him that he had stayed taking care of her mum the last week while she put in order some papers at college in order to be able to spend some days at home. Stefan and Caroline sat on the bed, opposite each other. They played for hours.

"Okay, enough" Caroline said after some time. "You have to rest, mum. Sleep for a while and then I'll make dinner, okay?"

Liz and Stefan looked at each other. Lately, Caroline only prepared healthy meals and she had set fire to the kitchen more than once because of the stress. Liz laughed and Stefan did the same thing.

"What's happening with you two?" Caroline asked, while she collected the pieces of the game, but none of them answered. Stefan stood next to her to help her collect them. As he was doing so, he could not help but look at her hypnotized. It was true that Caroline had her down moments, but who would not in their situation? However, she looked strong when she was with her mum. Stefan could not help admiring her.

Caroline noticed that Stefan looked at her besotted and she raised her head to look at him too. He smiled slowly and soothingly and Caroline could not help but blush a bit.

"Oh, c'mon Stefan, kiss her at once" Liz said.  
"Mum!" Caroline blushed more and rolled her eyes, feeling a knot in her stomach.  
"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking here."

Caroline shook her head and got out of the room with the board games in hands. She said that she was going to make some tea. Stefan sighed as he sat on the bed again.

"How is it that Stefan Salvatore fights against a lot of beasts but he's afraid of kissing the girl he likes?" Liz asked herself aloud. Stefan shook his head smiling.  
"Liz, I don't…"  
"Are you going to deny it again?"  
"She's my best friend and I don't wanna lose her. Caroline is very explosive and I wouldn't be at the height of her.  
"Nonsense. Do you think that if she thought that she would have always been there for you?"

Stefan looked at Liz, not knowing what to say. Hands in his pockets, he stared at the ceiling, thinking that it was time to confess his feelings aloud.

"Don't tell her" he asked.  
"What thing?"  
"That I'm in love with her" he said finally, looking at Liz firmly. She smiled.  
"I won't, but you should."  
"It's just that… I don't think it's the appropriate time."  
"Are you sure? Or is that you're afraid of her reaction?"

Caroline and Stefan were sat on the sofa. Caroline was changing the channels, not knowing what show she wanted to watch, whereas Stefan contemplated her from time to time. The girl was bored and sat on the edge of the sofa. Stefan was leaning against the couch and he was observing how her curls waved on her shoulders.

"Is it okay if I stay some more nights?" Stefan asked. Caroline looked at him confused. "Two couple of eyes will be more useful and I don't wanna let you alone."

Caroline smiled shyly and then she nodded.

"Thank you, Stefan. I truly don't know how to thank you everything you're doing. Forgive me for the last months, I guess that I understand you better. And I… well, I behaved like a little girl, you know? I misunderstood everything and now that we're friends again I understand that maybe I was confused about what I felt and…"

Stefan looked into her eyes and saw that despite Caroline was saying that so firmly, she really did not think that. He knew that she was lying and that she wanted to hide her feelings. He felt terrified. He did not want that Caroline looked at him just as a friend. Not now that he had realized what he felt for her.

"All in all, I'm glad that you're here."

Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but Caroline stood up, saying that she would get him some blankets and a pillow. Stefan stayed there without knowing what to say once more. How could he be such an idiot?

Stefan was sleeping when he heard a noise in the kitchen. He stood up and went there. Caroline was sitting on a chair and reading some books. Stefan frowned from the door.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Caroline got startled when she heard him and closed the book.  
"I couldn't sleep and…"

But Caroline did not finish the sentence. Stefan read the titles of the books. All of them were about theories of different illnesses and vampire blood.

"Caroline…"  
"I know what you're going to say and it's not necessary, okay?"

Caroline stood up and she was going to go out, but Stefan took her arm, stopping her.

"I just don't want you to have false hope and then… But we'll investigate if that's what you want, both of us. If it is important for you and you think that it is worthy, we'll do it. But we'll do it tomorrow, after you have slept and had breakfast, okay?"

Caroline looked at him baffled. She could not believe that Stefan would not tell her she was mad and that he wanted to help her.

"I can't sleep, Stefan. It's impossible. Every time I close my eyes I see my mum's face and I imagine the worst and…"

Caroline broke down. Stefan hugged her tightly while she was sobbing with her head against his chest.

"I'm here."  
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to…"  
"You'll be. And I'm not leaving, okay?"

Caroline nodded and stopped crying. He looked at her with tenderness while he was wiping her tears with his fingers. While doing so, he realized that Caroline was someone indispensable to him. Not only did he like her and not only did he love her, but he also was suffering because of her pain. Her pain was driving him mad. He did not know what to do.

"Come here."

Stefan took her hand and led her to the couch. Caroline lay down and when Stefan was going to lay down in the other one, she called him. Stefan looked at her and he knew what Caroline wanted immediately. He lay down next to her, and although the couch was a little small for them, they found the correct position.  
Being so close to her was a relief for him. It had been a long time without touching or hugging Caroline and he was not going to lose any chance. They both were laid down, facing each other. The girl had closed her eyes, but Stefan was still watching her. He took a lock of hair of hers and put it behind her ear. Caroline, feeling his touch, moved closer to him and rested her head against his chest. He took advantage to grab her with his arms. He kissed her forehead and sighed.

"This doesn't make sense" Caroline said at once and stood up. Stefan sat up, scared of her walking away. "I can't… I can't act as if…"

Caroline did not say anything else and went upstairs. Stefan heard how she closed the door of her bedroom. He scratched his chin, realizing that he would not be able to sleep now. That situation had a simple solution and was at his fingertips, but for some stupid reason he was not able to express himself when he was with her.  
He did not want to lose her. He had already known what that was and he did not want it to happen again. The truth is that being with Caroline scared him. He had not felt anything like this for a long time and that scared him too. He was afraid of screwing everything up. He was afraid of telling her what he felt and then make some stupid mistake. Being with Caroline was not that simple. He needed to be sure that he would not lose control with her. He needed to be sure that his blood thirst would not reappear with his ripper side. He needed to be sure that he would not make any mistake. Caroline deserved someone at her height and he did not know if he would be.  
But those reasons did not matter right now. He could not leave things like this. He went upstairs quickly and went into his room. Caroline was watching the TV and when she saw Stefan, she turned it off. He sat next to her and hugged her again.

"Now we're going to sleep, you hear me? We'll not be able to do anything tomorrow if you haven't rest."  
"Stefan…"  
"Do you think that your mum will kill me if she knows that we both have slept in your bed? You're her spoilt little girl after all…"  
"Shut up."

Caroline laughed and then Stefan was able to make them lie down. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Stefan thought that it was now or never.

"Do you think that someone like you would be able to love someone like me?" he asked, staring at the ceiling. Caroline raised her head to look at him.  
"What?"  
"I was wrong. I realized that something was going on between us and I got scared. I guess that it is because I haven't felt something so deep for anyone for a long time."

Caroline smiled shyly. She could not believe what Stefan was saying, but she did not have time to answer because he had lowered his head and when they looked at each other, he kissed her soothingly.


End file.
